Ekaḿ jiṋánaḿ nityamádyantaḿ-shúnyam,
Nányat kiiṋcit vartate vastu satyam.
Tayorbhedo’smin indriyopádhiná vae,
Jiṋánasyáya bhásate nányathaeva.

There is a singular flow of cognition in the entire universe, and this flow is not only singular in number but it has got neither any starting point nor any culminating point.

“Ekam”. What is ekam? When all the flows of inferences cometh to a single decision, a single decisive object, which is of conclusive nature, then we use the article ekam. Now, regarding this Cognitive Faculty, wherever our inferences may be withdrawn to, we come to a singular point of singular article. Hence regarding Him, no other article but “One” can be used.

“Nityamádyantashúnyam”. Nityam means a fact whose factuality remains unchallenged. That which has remained unchallenged in the past, remains unchallenged in the present and will remain unchallenged in the future is called nityam.

That faculty, that Supreme Cognitive Faculty means also the Supreme Causal Matrix. It is singular in character and also nityamádyantashúnyam. “Ádi” means the starting point, and “antam” means the culminating point – the terminating point. “Ádyantashúnyam” means having neither any starting point nor any terminating point.

There is a story in the Vedas. Once a vastly radiant Entity appeared before the gods, the demons and the humans who were standing together. This radiant Entity had neither any starting point nor any terminating point. At first none dared get close to Him and enquire of His identity. But slowly some of the gods gathered courage and went to know His identity. First of all, the wind-god approached the Entity and asked, “Who are you?” Instead of answering direct, the Entity asked him, “Who are you?” the wind-god said, “I am the mighty god of wind, I blow out everything that comes in my way.” The radiant Entity then said, offering him a blade of grass, “Here is a blade of grass, blow this if you can”. The wind could even move it, howsoever hard it tried. The wind returned ashamed and chastened. Then the fire went and said by way of introducing himself, “I am the fire. To consume every thing is my characteristic”. The fire was asked to burn that blade of grass but he was also unsuccessful and came back with bowed head. Similarly the rain-god went and returned, having failed to make that blade of grass wet. The people thought, “It won’t work like this.” They found out the most intelligent person amongst themselves, who was not only intellectual but also knew how to behave in different circumstances and was endowed with great tact. The people selected him as their leader and commissioned him with the task of finding out the identity of that radiant Entity. This leader approached the radiant Entity most reverentially and inquired, “Who are you, please?” The radiant Entity counter-questioned Him. “Who are you?” The reply was, “Just to know that I have come to you. I do not know who I am.” Upon this the radiant Entity further asked “What do you do?” This time the reply was, “I will try to do whatever you command me to do.” These replies pleased the radiant Entity much and thus He disclosed His real identity;

“I am the Cognitive Principle. I am within you and also without you. Because of My presence, you do everything, you feel everything, you realize everything. You are a small fraction of mind, a small drop of water in this vast ocean which I am.”

Then the leader sought a message from that radiant Entity. The radiant Entity said, “My message is ‘da’, convey it to all.”

When the leader went back having known the identity of the radiant Entity along with a message from Him, people hailed him and appointed him their permanent leader and their king. In old Saḿskrta, leader is called “indra”, so from that day Indra became king of the gods.

The message “da” was interpreted differently in accordance with the inherent characteristics of three different peoples.

One group said, da means “damanam kuru”, that is, just control thyself, just control all your propensities and be dánta. Dam + ta = dánta. Dánta is one who has controlled one’s all propensities. This group of people according to whom da means damanam kuru were known as “devatá”.

Another group said da means “dayám kuru”, that is, be compassionate, because Dayá will create sweetness in your heart and your heart will slowly become all-pervasive. This group of people, as per whom da means dayám kurú – be compassionate– were known as human beings, humans – “mánava”.

And the third group of people said, “No, no, ‘da’ doesn’t mean damanam kuru, da doesn’t mean be compassionate, da means dánam kuru and they were known as dánava, daetya, or asura.

These are three groups of people.

Now, that Entity is “One” and the instruction, order or advice of that Entity for all living beings, physical, metaphysical or luminous, is also “One”.

The physical bodies of human beings (mánava) are made of the quinquelemental factors: kśiti, ap, tejas, marut and vyoma. The physical bodies of danavas are made of ap, tejas, marut and vyoma – from four factors. And those of devatás are made of tejas, marut and vyoma and that is why their structures are not visible. The devatás are known as “deva yoni” in Saḿskrta and their bodies are made of only three factors.

Now ekam. He remained ekam and His advice is also ekam – only one word, a singular expression, a single syllable – and that syllable is “da”.

Dánam Kuru is the crudest interpretation. For dánam, you will have to acquire something material. So it is the crudest. Bali was a dánava king who was famous for dánam.

This Entity, this Cognitive Faculty is the only Entity in the Universe, is of a singular existence. No other entity is satyam. When “sat” is fully established, that is “satyam”. No other entity in this universe is satyam. All are moving realities, changing phenomena, fast-moving panorama. All are of a transitory nature.

But then, why do we see these varieties in this world? So many varieties, so many colours and so many matters? When the Absolute Truth is a singular Entity and the Cosmic Cognitive Faculty is One, then why this world of varieties? Why do we witness such a kaleidoscopic world?

Variety comes according to the varieties in our inferences, coming through or emanating from our motor and sensory organs. They are not giving us the proper colour, proper smell or proper attributions of the external world. We solely depend on them. And when all these inferences and objectivities come back to the unit subjectivity, that is, the unit cognition, then what happens? This unit cognition comes in contact with Supreme Cognition and feels that there is no difference between unit cognition and the Supreme Cognition. Both are made of the same entity, the same factor, the same elements; and in the entire universe there is a single element and that element is the Cognitive Faculty.